Essex & Suffolk Water mark opening at Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Enterprise Zone

The opening ceremony for Essex & Suffolk Water’s ‘Trinity House’, a brand new purpose-built Customer Centre, took place on Tuesday, September 16 2014 at the Riverside complex in Lowestoft.

The company has invested nearly £4 million in Lowestoft to construct the new office following the granting of planning permission from Waveney District Council. The Riverside complex is part of the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Enterprise Zone.

Heidi Mottram, Essex & Suffolk Water’s Chief Executive cut a ribbon and officially declared the new centre open following the relocation of 190 employees from the company’s old offices on Rectory Road in the town.

“This is an important moment for Essex & Suffolk Water in the town of Lowestoft as it shows we’re committed to providing investment and employment in the local economy for many years to come,” said Ms Mottram.

“This smart new building is somewhere our employees can be proud to work and continue delivering their excellent customer service on a daily basis,” she said.

Local building contractor R G Carter Limited has been working on the construction of the new office, located off Canning Road and designed by architects, Feilden+Mawson.

The water company, which is part of Northumbrian Water Group, is a familiar presence in the town having successfully operated its Customer Centre in Lowestoft since the early 1990s.

Ian Donald, Customer Services Director for Northumbrian Water Group said: “It is an exceptional building, designed and built by local people, for local people serving communities not only in Essex and Suffolk but also in the North East of England”

“This super new facility matches the skills of our people and will enable us to maintain and improve our high levels of customer service,” he said.

The company’s move to the Riverside complex, marks the 18th business to locate to the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft (New Anglia) Enterprise Zone since it opened in 2012. Ten new buildings are currently under construction within the zone with a further ten already complete, meaning that it is on target to meet 1,500 jobs and £20 million of private investment by May 2015.

Chris Starkie, managing director of New Anglia LEP, said: “We are delighted to welcome another prestigious name to the Enterprise Zone. Since it opened in 2012 the zone has created over 570 jobs and attracted over £16m of private sector funding. This investment from Essex & Suffolk Water reinforces its status as a key area for innovation and growth for businesses who are committed to locating and developing their businesses in Suffolk and Norfolk.”

There are 166 solar panels on the roof creating 35,898kWh of electricity used in the building, helping to lower the energy consumption and saving 18,990 kilograms of CO2 emissions. There is automatic shut-offs for the taps and toilets to prevent water being wasted and is linked to the light sensors, which turn-off the lights when there is no movement.

The glass used for the windows has a higher rating of heat transfer, which stops excessive heat build-up and the well insulated walls prevent heat from escaping during colder periods.

A Brownfield site, our Conservation team have installed a new ‘bug hotel’ to encourage and help protect invertebrates, such as the Five-banded weevil wasp.

Grant Keys, Director and General Manager for RG Carter Limited, said: “This project has been a real success in every respect. The project team have worked together in a truly collaborative environment to ensure that the building was constructed on budget and ahead of schedule. The quality of design and construction is there for all to see and we are proud to have been part of the team that has delivered it for the benefit of staff, customers and the people of Lowestoft for generations to come.”

Philip Bodie, Partner at Feilden+Mawson, architects of the new office, said: ‘’Designing Trinity House has been an extremely enjoyable experience from its inception to hand-over. It is always a special moment when you see people working and interacting in a built environment one had a part in shaping.

“Feilden+Mawson congratulates Essex and Suffolk Water on the official opening of Trinity House,’ he said.’
The name of the new building, ‘Trinity House’, is commonly associated with port areas due to its connection with sailors and maritime heritage.

Ian Donald, from NWG said: “It also reflects the three major supply areas of Essex & Suffolk Water’s parent company Northumbrian Water Group – The north east of England, Essex and Suffolk.

“There is also wider regional significance to the name ‘Trinity House’ as Essex & Suffolk Water abstract and treat drinking water for the town of Great Yarmouth from the Trinity Broads. Being a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Trinity Broads is sensitively managed by the Trinity Broads Partnership which includes the water company, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Environment Agency and the Broads Authority,” he said.